Senior SCORES
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Yarrawonga
5.6 7.7 13.10 16.12 108
Wodonga Raiders
1.3 6.6 12.12 14.15 99
Goals: Yarrawonga: W. Gorman 5, R. Pritchard 3, J. Brooks 2, H. Wheeler, D. O’Dwyer, X. Leslie, M. Whiley, N. Mullins, M. Casey.
Wodonga Raiders: E. Boxall 3, B. Filo 3, J. Ardern 2, C. Newnham 2, J. Bradshaw, B. A’Vard, W. Donaghey, J. Hodgkin.Best: Yarrawonga: H. Wheeler, W. Gorman, M. Whiley, X. Leslie, M. Gorman, R. Bruce.
Wodonga Raiders: B. St John, E. Boxall, J. Hodgkin, B. Filo, L. Flagg, L. Hodgkin.
With the beginning of the second half of the season upon us, the Pigeons were keen to make amends for a game that got away from them when they played the Raiders at Birallee Park. Evergreen veteran, Xav Leslie got the home side off to the perfect start with the first goal of the game at the 2-minute mark.
Will Gorman followed suit not long after and it was clear that the boys were keen on giving the Wodonga Raiders a run for their money.
Bailey Frauenfelder and Scott Oswald were using their pace to run the ball from defence, frustrating their bigger opponent’s.
In one of the highlights of the day, Jack Sexton used his determination and pace to run down one of the Raiders prime movers and the resultant turnover was capped off with a Ronan Pritchard goal, the home side were up and about.
When Will Gorman kicked his second and Mark Whiley added to the total, the Pigeons found themselves up by 25 points at the first break.
Matt Casey imposed himself on the forward line early in the second to extend the lead before the Raiders said enough is enough.
The visitors knuckled down and started getting on top all over the ground.
The majority of the next 20 minutes was played in the Raiders forward half with the Pigeons backline doing their best to repel frequent Raider attacks.
Despite the visitor’s dominance around the ground a shining light was the ruck work of debutant Josh Tonna.
Josh regularly jumped over his larger opponent giving first use to the Pigeon onballers.
A late goal to Will Gorman saw the home side cling to a narrow 7-point lead at the main break.
The third was a real tussle. Jack Brooks, Ronan Pritchard and Harry Wheeler all added goals early but every time Yarrawonga added one the Raiders replied with one of their own.
Down back there was none better than Ryan Bruce and veteran Beau Seymour.
Both had several intercept marks that they turned into attacking forays.
Ronan Pritchard’s snap late in the quarter from the pocket, saw the Pigeons take a four-point lead into the last.
The Raiders posted the first of the fourth quarter and were looking like they could run away with the game but Yarra just wouldn’t go away.
Two goals in quick succession to Will Gorman and Jack Brooks had the home side up and running again.
Yarrawonga’s midfield were getting on top but the highlight was the tackle pressure.
Harry Wheeler, Tim McCauley and Matt Gorman hunted their opponents without mercy and continually forced turnovers that allowed Will Gorman to kick his fifth for the day and Ned Mullins to contribute his first.
Mark Whiley had been busy racking up possessions, but his real value was in the on field
instruction he was giving to his young team mates.
With twenty minutes gone it looked like the Pigeons might just snatch this one away from the top five side, before the Raiders rallied.
Two quick goals saw the Pigeons lead cut to just 3 points and now it was the visitors with the momentum.
An intense five minutes followed with neither side able to gain the upper hand.
Both backlines were dominant, and the scoring dried up.
The 28-minute mark loomed and free kick to big man Dave O’Dwyer, 40 meters from goal had the crowd on the edge of their seats.
His straight kick had the crowd on their feet cheering and his football side over the line for a nine-point win.
Reserves
Yarrawonga 11.14.80 defeated Wodonga Raiders 4.5.29
Yarrawonga Second 18 returned to the winners list with a strong win over the Wodonga Raiders on Saturday.
The Pigeons were keen to show that they had learnt from the mistakes that they made in the previous week and started in strong form.
It seemed that Marcus Hargreaves had brought his own ball and was unwilling to share with others as was the amount of possession he was getting from the start of the match.
Matthew Dwyer showed that he is not slowing down with age, as time and time again he cut a path through the opposition’s defence.
After a strong first quarter, the Pigeon boys piled on the pressure in the second quarter and went into halftime with a commanding lead.
Luke Congram was electric in the forward line and was beating two opponents at a time.
His partner in crime, Craig Frauenfelder, was also proving to be a headache for the opposition with his strong body work and forward line pressure.
Ross Mulquiney, Chris Wilson, Tim Lawrence, Darcy Norman and Kayden Sharp all played strong 4 quarter games.
The Pigeons finished the game with a confidence boosting 50-point win.
Goals: Yarrawonga: L. Congram 4, A. Frauenfelder 2, D. Norman, M. Hargreaves, T. Lawrence, C. Wilson, C. Frauenfelder.
Wodonga Raiders: J. Chesser 2, M. Glass, D. McKane.Best: Yarrawonga: M. Hargreaves, R. Mulquiney, L. Congram, M. Dwyer, T. Lawrence, C. Wilson.
Wodonga Raiders: R. Kennett, S. Newnham, T. Gibbs, L. Kowski, B. Wilson, M. Glass.
Thirds
Yarrawonga 6.6.42 defeated by Wodonga Raiders 6.11.47
After a number of close wins the young Pigeons could not escape their slow start going down by less than a kick.
This slow start which saw the side down 2 goals before even firing a shot meant the rest of the day was playing catch up.
Good players were hard to find but Tylar Hemphill and Henry Lonergan were two of the more solid contributors.
Zac Burns fresh from a week off came from the bench to a red-hot Raiders forward and held his own. Jett Smith, Ned Pendergast and Tom Whelan battled through the mid zone, but the overall effort of the side was not to the standard expected.
This week the side takes on Corowa, a side that exposed it for work rate in round 1, could there be any better test.
Awards: Yarrawonga Hotel - T Hemphill, Wingates - H Lonergan.
Goals: Yarrawonga: N. Pendergast 2, H. Cartwright 2, M. Hemphill, J. Smith.
Wodonga Raiders: C. Taylor, B. St John, S. McKenzie, G. Jones, J. Penman, M. Glass.Best: Yarrawonga: T. Hemphill, H. Lonergan, A. Byrne, Z. Burns, J. Smith, T. Whelan.
Wodonga Raiders: C. St John, G. Jones, J. Croucher, Z. Ward, M. Glass, W. McCarty.